In the process of shipping an item from one location to another, protective packaging material is often placed in the shipping container to fill any voids and/or to cushion the item during the shipping process. Paper, which is biodegradable, recyclable and composed of a renewable resource, is a popular source of packaging material for environmentally-conscientious shippers, but other sheet materials also are used to make dunnage products.
Paper and other sheet stock materials often are supplied in a compact roll form for a conversion machine to convert into a relatively lower density dunnage product. The sheet stock material typically is supported on a spindle or axle that passes through the core of the roll with its ends projecting therebeyond for cradled receipt in respective laterally spaced apart spindle supports of a stock roll holder. The spindle supports may be provided, for example, directly on the frame of the cushioning conversion machine or on a mobile cart as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,889.
A stock roll typically is loaded from a position on the floor. An axle rod is inserted through a hollow core at the center of the stock roll, and the stock roll is then raised by grasping and lifting the ends of the axle rod where it projects from opposite ends of the stock roll. The loading operation is completed by lowering the projecting ends of the axle rod onto the laterally spaced apart spindle supports that have recesses for cradled receipt and retention of the axle rod.
The conversion machine generally is disposed above the floor, sometimes at or above head level, which makes loading a stock roll more difficult because of the greater height to which the stock roll must be lifted. Also, the machine may be positioned over a conveyor which may require the operator to reach over the conveyor when loading a stock roll. Moreover, in some installations a person other than the machine operator may be designated to lift and load stock rolls. In these situations, delay may arise when such person, or attendant, is not immediately available. Consequently, the operator must wait until such an attendant is available. The delay may be of considerable length when the attendant is busy with another task, such as loading a stock roll for another machine or machines.